A firm consisting of theodore h



H. .I. GUENTHER.

BRIEF BAG 0R CASE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZI. I918- ;L322,785, Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

. INVENTdR HENRY JEUENTI-IER ATTORNEYS sraras rare r "caries.

' HENRY J. GUENTHER, or

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED LEATHER GOODS 00., OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A FIRM CONSISTING 0F THEODORE H.

GOT'ISAR AND HENRY J. GUENTHER.

BRIEF BAG OR CASE.

To all whom it may ooncem:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. GUENTHER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brief Bags or Cases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention relates, more particularly, to improvements in hand-bags mg a novel frame and locking means therefor; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel brief-case, in which papers of professionals, as lawyers, musicians, etc., can be placed in a flat condition, with a view of providing a case into which the various papers or sheets of music can be easily and quickly placed, and just as readily removed without inconvenience to the person desiring to take from the pockets of the case, one or more sheets of paper or sheets of music.

The present invention has for its principal objects to provide a novel and vsimply constructed brief-case, comprising a receptacle or body of leather, or the like, said receptacle or body being provided with any desirable number of receiving pocket, in which the papers or sheets of music can be disposed in flat condition; and, the present invention has for its further object to provide the mouth of the receptacle or bagbody with suitable frame-members and a locking means in connection therewith, said frame-members or section extending laterally, and preferably along the marginal edge-portions of the opening or mouth of the receptacle or bag-body, so as to act as a reinforcing or stiffening means, to retain the bag-body in its proper shape, against distortion, when carrying the brief-case and when the same is filled with many papers of considerable weight.

The invention has for its further object to provide a briefcase of the general character hereinafterset forth, in which when it is desired to remove or replace papers,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Navy, 25, 1919,

Application filed May 27, 1918. Serial No. 236,699.'

"ing detailed description of the said invention.

With the various objects of the present invention in view, the said invention consists, primarily, in the novel brief-bag or case hereinafter more fully set forth; and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the said parts, all of which will be more fully described in the following specification and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claims which are appended to and which form an essential part of the said specification.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of a brief-bag or case, embodying the principles of the present invention, said view representing in elevation what may be termed the rear face of the bag or case; and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the said brief-bag or case, illustrating a on line 6-6 in said Fig. 5, said view being made on an enlarged scale.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the said above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the several figures o the drawings, the reference-character 1 indicates the complete brief-bag or case, the

same comprising a main body 2, made of "vided' between its sides leather or other suitable material, and proand ends with any desirable number of separating or parting members 3, s'o as to provide the paper-receiving pockets 4.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 5 of the drawings, I have indicated the two sides of the bag-body or case, respectively, by the reference-characters 5 and 6, the upper portion of the side 5 being provided with a mouth-closing flap 7, and the upper portion of the side 6 being likewise provlded with a mouth-closing flap 8, both of said flaps extending laterally entirely across the upper portions of the respective sides, and being adapted to be brought vertically into adjacent and closed relation with one another over the open arts of the pockets, or being adapted to e brought into an open relation, such as is represented in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings.

Suitably secured along the upper marginal edge-portion of the flap 7, and extending laterally the entire distance of the same, is a reinforcing frame-section or member made of metal, said section or member being angular in cross-section, so as to provide the upper face-plate or member 9' and the downwardly extending flange-member 10 to which the flap 7 is secured by means of pins or rivets 11, or other suitable fastening means, passing through a suitable and laterally extending inlay, as 12, as will be clearly evident from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings. At its respective ends, the said frame-section or member is formed with angularly bent portions, as13, which provide strengthening or reinforcing corners.

Suitably mounted upon the face-plate or member 9 .are handle-loops, as 14, with which are connected in the usual manner, the end-portions of a handle 15. Also suitably secured to the said frame-section or member, in any usual manner, is a look, as 16, of any desired construction, the casing of which is provided with the usual hasp-lug receiving openings 17, substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. At or near the respective ends of the faceplate of the said frame-section or member, there are suitably mounted the clamp-plates 18, with each of which are pivotally connected suitable clasping members or clamps,

as 19, the purposes of which are wellknownand self-evident from an inspection of the several figures of the drawings. .Each clamp-plate 18 may also be provided with an angular end-piece, as 20, for the purpose of protecting and reinforcing the respective end-portions of the frame-section or me1n- Y ber, as will be clearly understood.

In a similar manner, there is secured along ment, the flaps gravity, thus not only exposing the mouthsthe upper marginal edge-portion of the flap 8, and extending laterally the entire distance of the same, a second reinforcing frame-section or member made of metal, said section or member also being angular in cross-section, so as to provide the upper face-plate or member 22 and the downwardly extending flange-member 21 to which the flap 8 is secured by means of pins or rivets 23, or other suitable fastening means, passing through a suitable and laterally extending inlay, as 24, as will be clearly evident from an-inspection of the several figures of the drawings. At its respective ends there are secured by means of pins or rivet-s, as 25, or other suit able fastening means, as will be seen from an,

inspection of Figs. 2 and 6, certain reinforc ing, as well as ornamental corner-plates, as

26, each plate being bent, as at 27, about the v end-edges of the frame-section and inlay, as shown vmore particularly in Fig. '6 of the drawings, and terminating in a lip-portion 28, resting upon and being suitably clamped against the said inlay, substantially as shown. Suitably connected with this last-mentioned frame-section or member is a suitably formed hasp, the hasp-lugs 29 of which are venting any distortive movement of the said frame-sections laterally with relation to one another, as will be clearly evident.

When the brief-bag or case is held in one hand by the ha-ndle'15, orgrasped by its bottom portion in one hand, and the framesections are released from mutual engage- 7 and 8 fall outwardly by of'the pockets 4, but also, by reason of the weight of the flaps and theirframe-sections, causing the'mouths of said pockets 4 to open out or extend, thus rendering the contents of any single pocket very easily and conveniently accessible.

Of course I am fully aware that some changes may be made inthe general arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the said parts, without departing from the scope of the present in vention as set forth in the foregoing specifi cation. Hence, I do not limit my present invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts as described in the said specification,

ofthe construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. I claim i 1. A brief-bag or case comprising a body consisting of normally straight s des and interdisposed parting members, arranged to provide pockets, the upper portions of said straight sides extending substantially above said parting members so as to provide oppo sitely disposed closing flaps, reinforcing frame-sections connected with said flaps, said frame-sections being adapted to be brought into closed relation, and means connected with said frame-sections for maintaining the closedmelation of said framesections.

2. A brief-bag or case comprisil'ig a body consisting of normally straight sides, parting members interposed between said sides to provide pockets, gusset members interconnecting the bottom and end portions of'said parting members and sides, said sides being provided with free flexible flaps projecting upwardly beyond the upper limits of said parting members and said gusset members, frame-sections connected with the upper longitudinal edges of said flexible flaps, and means for holding said frame'sections in closed relation, said flaps being adapted to fall outwardly by gravity when said frame-sections are released to freely expose and open the mouths of said pockets.

3. A brief-bag or case comprising a body consisting of normally straight sides, parting members interposed between said sides to provide pockets, gusset members interconnecting the bottom and end portions of said parting members and sides, said sides being provided with free flexible flaps projecting upwardly beyond the upper limits'of said parting'members and said gusset members, frame-sections connected with the upper longitudinal edges of said flexible flaps, catch devices connected with said frame-sections for holding the same together to close said flaps over the mouths of said pockets,

and a handle-portion connected with one of said frame-sections, said flaps being adapted to fall outwardly by gravity when said frame-sections are released tofreely expose and open the mouths of said pockets.

4'. A brief-bag or case comprising a body consisting of normally straight sides, parting members interposed between said sides to provide pockets, gusset members interconnecting the bottom and end portions of said parting members and sides, said sides being provided with free flexible flaps projecting upwardly beyond the upper limits of said parting members and said gusset members, frame-sections connected with the upper longitudinal edges of said flexible flaps, means for preventing endwise distortion of said frame-sections relative to each other when closed together, catch devices connected with said frame-sections for holding the same together to close said fiaps over the mouths of said pockets, and a handle-portion connected with one. of said frame-sections, said flaps being adapted to fall outwardly by gravity when said firame-sections are released to freely expose and open the mouths of said pockets.

r In testimony that I. claim the invention set forth. above I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of May, 1918.

HENRY J, GUENTHER- Witnesses Fnnnx. FRANTZEL, EVA E. DESCH. 

